The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Rubymine.
The new Phlox is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Phlox paniculata cultivar Bright Eye Elite, not patented. The new Phlox was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Den Hoorn, The Netherlands, within a population of plants of xe2x80x98Bright Eye Elitexe2x80x99 in 1998. The selection of this new Phlox was based on its unique variegated foliage. Plants of the cultivar Bright Eye Elite have solid green-colored foliage whereas plants of the new Phlox have variegated foliage.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings taken at Den Hoorn, The Netherlands since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Rubymine have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertilizer rate without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Rubyminexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Rubyminexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Unique pale yellow and green variegated foliage.
2. Upright plant habit.
3. Numerous light pink and purple bi-colored flowers.